WIC Package Sizes and Shopping Tips

On this page:
Abbreviations and calculations | Other calculations | Buying fruits and vegetables | Buying cereal | Buying milk | Buying cheese | Buying yogurt | Buying peanut butter and beans | Buying whole grains | Buying juice | Buying jars of baby food

Abbreviations and calculations

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Other calculations

• 3 tsp = 1 Tbsp
• 4 Tbsp = 1/4 cup
• 1 cup = 8 fluid oz = 16 Tbsp
• 2 cups = 1 pint = 16 fluid oz
• 4 cups = 1 quart = 2 pints = 32 fluid oz
• 4 quarts = 1 gallon = 8 pints = 16 cups
• 4 oz = 1/4 lb
• 16 oz = 1 lb

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Buying fruits and vegetables

If the cost of your fruits and vegetables is more than your benefit balance, you can pay the difference with cash, SNAP or credit/debit card.

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Buying cereal

How to combine cereal package sizes.

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Buying milk

Milk

• .5 = 1 half-gallon

Soy and goat's milk

• .25 = 1 quart
• .5 = 1 half-gallon or 2 quarts
• .75 = 96 oz container

Lactose free milk

• .5 gal = 1 half-gallon
• .75 gal = 96 oz container

Evaporated milk

.18 gallon will be deducted from your benefit for each can of evaporated milk you buy.

Nonfat powdered milk

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Buying cheese

All cheese must be in 8 or 16-ounce packages. If your benefits show 1 pound(s) of WIC-allowed Cheese, you can buy:

Two 8 oz (0.5 lb) packages	OR	One 16 oz (1 lb) package
	OR

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Buying yogurt

If your benefits show "Yogurt-Low/Nonfat", look for "Low fat" or "Nonfat" on the label. Whole fat yogurt will not scan as allowed at checkout.

If your benefits show "Yogurt", you may choose low fat, nonfat and whole milk yogurt. This is what 1-year olds receive.

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Buying peanut butter and beans

WIC provides the option of peanut butter, dry beans, peas and lentils, or canned beans.

If your shopping list or balance shows Peanut Butter OR Dry Beans OR 4 Cans of Beans you can buy:
OR OR

If you choose canned beans, you don't have to buy 4 cans at once. For each can you buy, .25 containers will be removed from your balance.

Can(s)	Container Amount
1 CAN	.25 containers will be removed from your balance
2 CANS	.50 containers will be removed from your balance
3 CANS	.75 containers will be removed from your balance
4 CANS	1 container will be removed from your balance

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Buying whole grains

You can buy any size as long as you have at least that number of ounces in your benefits.

If your WIC account balance shows "Whole Grain Items", you can buy any of these:

• Bread, bagels, English muffins, buns, dinner rolls and sandwich thins - if 100% whole wheat
• Tortillas – 100% whole wheat or corn
• Pasta – 100% whole wheat
• Brown Rice
• Wild Rice
• Oats
• Gluten free Canyon Bakehouse bread and gluten free oats

Scan items with your app to find WIC allowed brands and sizes.

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Buying juice

Refrigerated orange juice must be 64 ounces. Many refrigerated orange juices are in a 59 ounce container and these are not WIC allowed.

Only 64 ounce refrigerated orange juice is WIC allowed.

Starting in July 2026, if your benefit says Juice, you can buy 1 container of frozen juice for each 64 oz container listed in your benefits.

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Buying jars of baby food

Baby food fruits and vegetables must be 4-ounce containers. A 2-pack, or double-pack, counts as two containers of baby food.

Number of 2-pack of 4 oz Tubs	Number of 4 oz Jars
1	2
8	16
16	32
32	64

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